Pearl of Death
by Backlash2020
Summary: My first try of writing an episode. There is no shipper goodness of any kind here. Just an adventure for our team.
1. Chapter 1

(A woman huddled against a man looking down at a hand uncovered from the beach.)

The salty pacific wind blew upon silhouettes of lovers walking hand in hand giddy with first love. One trips pulling the other down to the white beach sand. Laughing, lying upon one another. One sees a hand with a ring just peaking from its hidden place beneath grains of sand. Shrieking, they scramble to stand as if they were burnt from the setting sun.

(intro.)

(Gibbs looking pissed. Tony and Ziva behind him, looking surprised.)

Ding! "Argh! Tony that is not how it happened at all." Agent McGee said walking away from Tony who was grinning like he just won something important. "Oh come on, Probie. Who was that delicious young thing I saw you with Saturday night?" Tony continued as they walked to their respected desks.

"What is Tony babbling about now McGee?" Agent David asked looking up from the mountains of paper scattering her desk. McGee looked over at her. "Tony happened to see me out on the town this past weekend and wants to know who I was with. And I happen to think it's not his business."

"Come on Probie! We're co-workers and I need to know who would find your computer geek speak that interesting. Cause seriously, she needs to get her head examined" Tony said.

"I happen to find your computer knowledge very useful McGee. But I thought you and Abby were an item?" Ziva asked. "Well, me and Abby. I don't know, we're more than buddies and she flirts with me. But I can't seem to get past that stage with her, so I happen to have found somebody else." McGee answered.

From up above Gibbs watched his team work through their morning ritual of playful banter. He was about to make his move to disrupt them when Director Shepard tapped him on his shoulder motioning him to follow her to M.T.A.C. control.

"Jethro, I need your team on a special case" said Director Shepard. In the low light of the control room it took a moment for Gibbs eyes to adjust before he was able to make eye contact. "We're looking in to that green card for sailor case right now. Don't you have another team that could handle your new case?" Gibbs replied.

Director Shepard rolled her eyes only Agent Gibbs gave her back talk when she asked something of him. "Gibbs, you can hand your green card case off to Martian's group. A Navy admiral was found dead and buried on a beach outside of Pearl Harbor. Being that this is a high profile case I need your team to handle it" She replied. Gibbs gave her a sideways smile and asked. "Ok, that's what the pentagon told you. Now what's the real reason."

Those eyes got her every time. Like deep pools of mercury they absorbed all her diplomacy and got right to the heart of the matter. "Jethro, the body was rear Admiral Prince. He helped guide me to where I am today. The local NCIS agent in charge believes a slave trade was happening under his watch and he was killed for it. I know him Gibbs, he wouldn't be involved in something like this. And I need somebody I can trust to prove that" Shepard said.

Gibbs took a swig from his coffee cup before answering. "Jenny, I'll do it. But I'll be going after the truth. So if he is guilty, I prove that too."

"Thank you Jethro" Shepard replied.

Gibbs moved in close to her and whispered. "Don't thank me yet, I know those NCIS agents won't like me taking over their case. You better be ready for complaining on their part." Jenny smiled as she watched Jethro Gibbs throw away his empty coffee like a misused children's toy.

"So like I was saying, Ziva. McGee here needs to let me in on who he is dating. The brotherhood of man deems it necessary" Tony said.

"I've never heard of this brotherhood Tony" Ziva answered. Tony threw his hands in the air like a referee signaling a field goal. "That's cause you're a woman Ziva" Tony said.

"That she is DiNozzo" Gibbs said as he slapped him on the back of his head. "Ah, boss what I was saying to Agent David was…" Tony started "Pack up we leave for Pearl in 1 hour" Gibbs interrupted. "Pearl boss? As in Hawaii?" Tony inquired.

"Yes Tony, now move out!" Gibbs said. He walked briskly past them towards autopsy.

"Ducky! I'll be sending you a corpse air mailed from Pearl. I'll need a full work up ASAP." Gibbs stated as he entered sterile environment of autopsy. Dr Mallard looked back at Gibbs as he latched the door shut on one of the crypts. "Ah Jethro, Quite right I'll be expecting it soon then. Did you know the term ASAP comes from the English version for the Boston tea party. It was the knowledge at the time that since the tea had been packaged in wooden crates and sealed with a form of wax to prevent the salt air from ruining the tea on its long journey from the home land. That the Captain first ordered the words as soon as possible to chase down the people that had thrown the tea over in the first place and not actually worried about the tea itself."

Gibbs patted Dr. Mallard on the back. "I have to get going to Hawaii Ducky. Just make sure the idiots that touched the body didn't ruin all the evidence." Gibbs turned back around and walked out leaving Ducky to recall a time that he gain knowledge from a student that a turned a closed case back opening regards to evidence tampering.

The warm tropical breeze crested the team as they exited the airport. "Sir we've been expecting your team please follow me" a marine guard said. Tony looked around quickly before entered the waiting hummer. "What's the matter Tony?" Ziva asked. Tony looked back at her disappointed "I didn't even get laid" he replied. McGee just shook his head.

The trip form the airport was uneventful and before long Gibbs and his team were being issued on to the base. "Please take us to where you have the evidence stored for the Admiral's case." Gibbs told the marine driver. They pulled up to a plain looking building. If it wasn't for the bold red-cross over the door frame, Tony wouldn't even known this was the medical center.

"Agent Gibbs, DiNozzo, David and McGee to see the head med-tech" Gibbs said. "That would be me. Dr. Vaughn." A man with salt and pepper hair said. As he stuck out his hand, that looked like old leather from being out in the sun to long.

"I need you to send the body of Admiral Prince to my lab in D.C." Gibbs stated taking the man's hand in a firm handshake.

"I'm sorry; the family requested his body to be cremated. It was carried out just yesterday. I'm afraid you're too late" Replied Dr. Vaughn.

This was going to be a trickery case than first imagined Gibbs thought.

(Gibbs looking pissed. Tony and Ziva behind him, looking surprised.)


	2. Chapter 2

(Ziva looking down and Gibbs coming from behind gun in hand.)

Gibbs walked quickly past the receptionist, and into the office of base security. "What idiot allowed the admiral's body to be cremated before I got here" demanded Gibbs.

"I'm sorry sir he never stopped to check in with me shall I get an officer to escort him out?" A meek ensign inquired.

The middle aged MP officer smiled and with a wave told her it was ok. "You must be Agent Gibbs. I was told to expect you." The officer said motioning Gibbs to sit.

"You haven't answered my question." Gibbs stated back. "Well, our local NCIS on the island said there wasn't much else he could glean from the body itself and released it to the family" said the officer.

Gibbs looked the MP officer up and down trying to gauge if this person was that much of a moron. She had her hair in a tight bun on the top of her head. Age lines next to hers eyes as if the sun had stolen years away from her. Her uniform was starched straight and not one pip was out of line. "Maybe he couldn't get any more information from it, but my team could. You have just made it more difficult for us to solve this thing. What's the agent's name that released the body?" Gibbs asked.

Opening a file cabinet and searching through what seemed like an endless sea of manila folder she pulled one of them and set before Gibbs. "Agent Higgins, was the agent that processed the scene and allowed the body released" She said.

"I'll need to find where he is at this moment" Gibbs said. As he stood to leave.

"Agent Gibbs, I don't understand why NCIS had to send your team out here we have a handle on this case and I am working closely with agent Higgins to find what happen" replied the Officer.

"Well now you get to work closely with me. I'll be back." Gibbs said as he walked away.

"Come on! These girls are gorgeous Probie. Take a look over there, you can't tell me that's not a wonderful sight to behold" Tony said.

McGee barely looked up from combing the beach sand with the metal detector he was using. "Tony, would you mind getting you head out of your butt and help us with the scene." Ziva said.

Tony look down at where Ziva was on her hands and knees sweeping the sand in broad strokes with her hand. "Well, if you must know Ziva. surfers are very territorial about their waves I think I'll ask around and see if anybody remembers the good Admiral" said Tony.

Ziva watched Tony walk over to a group of sun bathing girls. He smiled his infamous smile and sat down next to them and started chatting away. Ziva rolled her eyes "McGee why is Tony such a donkey's butt some times?" Ziva asked. McGee looked up from his display and looked at Tony and then back at Ziva. "He likes to think he's a people person. I go with science and what I know. Where Tony goes more so with how he understands a person. So some times I let his comments slide just because I know deep down he's doing what he does best." answered McGee.

"And what is that? Flirt?" Ziva replied. McGee smiled "He knows he has charm and he uses it to his advantage" McGee said. "Sort of like Gibbs and his gut." Ziva mumbled under her breath.

Gibbs walked down on the beach the grit of the sand seeping in his shoes. He continued till he saw DiNozzo flirting with some girls on the beach. "Having fun Agent DiNiozzo?" Gibbs said quietly.

"Hey, boss I was just getting some background on this stretch of beach here. Cindy here has been very helpful." DiNozzo said. He smiled sweetly and returned with Gibbs to the crime scene a few meters back.

"Have you found anything new, that the crime scene techs missed the first time McGee?" Gibbs asked as he walked up to the scene.

"Sorry boss I haven't found much of anything. The tide must have washed away the remaining evidence" McGee answered.

"It's like trying to locate a pin in a wheat stack" Ziva added. Tony corrected her as he walked up. "That's a needle in a haystack. Ziva" Tony replied.

"Tony I hope you have more than just snappy come backs from your time spent with Candy over there" Gibbs said. "Yes, I found out that our Admiral ran this strech of beach everyday as part of his workout. He'd start from the base grounds and end about a mile away at a local watering hole. And uh boss, her name is Cindy" Tony answered.

"I don't care what her name is Tony I need you and McGee to check out the club. Ziva your with me we're going to have a little visit an Agent Higgins in regards to his utter lack of procedure" said Gibbs.

Pulling up to the club Tony began to laugh. McGee looked at him as if he had grown another head. "What are you laughing about Tony?" McGee asked.

"Look at this place! Probie it's the King Kamehamha club!" Tony said excited. McGee looked back at his notes and stated "Ah, Tony it says here that the Admiral was apart of the Cliff face club. And that's what the signed said."

"No, Probie I mean this must be the club they used when they shot the tv show Magnum P.I. Oh man this is a dream come true! Wait a second… Who were Gibbs and Ziva going to talk to again?" said Tony.

McGee punched a few button on his blackberry "An Agent Higgins. Why?" he replied.

Tony shut his door and almost leapt into the club. "Don't you see McGee? Higgins was Mag PI's foil on the show. This is just too cool, I'm going to have to see if I can find the Robin Master's estate while I'm here." he explained to his co-worker as he opened the door.

"Why are we checking out agent Higgins home? Shouldn't we be looking at his office? I mean today is a work day right?" inquired agent David.

Gibbs paused his stride up to the weather worn house. "Because Agent David, the MP officer I spoke with said that agent Higgins wasn't feeling well and told me to try his home now come on."

Ziva slapped her hands down at her side. Agent Gibbs seemed to be the only person she met that treated like a child some times. They both knocked on the door and waited. Being impatient Ziva looked in the window trying to see if somebody was in deed home. She cold tell that a single man lived here alone. The newspapers stacked high next to the lean back chair and a half empty glass of water sitting on top. She peered in closer and saw a shadow moving in the back part of the house.

"Gibbs I think I see movement. I'm going around back" Ziva said.

Gibbs drew his gun and pounded harder on the screen door making it shake like a small child before getting punish. "NCIS!" Gibbs announced loudly as he kick the door in a moment later entering the house gun at the ready.

"Gibbs! I think I found Agent Higgins." He heard agent David call from the back. Slowly he made his way towards the back of the house. He stepped softly trying not to make a noise. He saw Agent David standing over a man's body laid out on the floor.

(Ziva looking down and Gibbs coming from behind gun in hand.)


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Sorry for the delay, life happens... Now on to the story!

(Gibbs with a grimace of a smile, looking at an eight by ten photo.)

Gibbs sighed deeply moving out of the way and allowing the M.E. to attend the body. He walked into the house where his team waited. "Boss nothing from the victim's kitchen or closet." Tony stated when Gibbs was in range. "Ziva, stay with that body don't let it out of your sight I don't want another pile of ash on my hands." Gibbs clipped towards agent David. "DiNozzo, I don't care what you can't find, tell me what you did find."

"Ahh Boss, I found a wireless router, but I can't locate a computer." McGee spoke up. Gibbs just glared at him "Right, just what I find. I'll keep looking" McGee said as he stumbled out of the room.

"What did the club owner have to say about our Admiral?" Gibbs asked turning face to face with Tony. "No much, the Admiral has been a member of the club for just over a year now. The funny thing is that he just sold his sailboat before re-upping his member-ship for another two seasons." Tony said as he leaned back slightly from Gibbs. "I have a call into the new owner, but I haven't heard from him yet."

"Well DiNozzo get on it. I'm going back to the base and have another chat with our friendly M.P." Gibbs marched out of the house narrowly missing Agent McGee coming around the corner of the front door.

"Hey Tony you mind taking a look at something?" asked McGee. Tony shook his head and walked toward McGee "Alright Probie show me what you got."

Her head bumped the glass of the side window of the corner's van. Ziva wondered why she was the one sent on this mind numbing assignment, couldn't McGee have handled this better. The van made its way around the sloping corners of the coastal road. Coming around a bend a car was stalled blocking the road its hood up and steam rising from the engine. Ziva climbed out of the van and walked toward the distressed motorist while the van was still slowing to a stop.

"Can I offer any assistants?" Ziva inquired making her way from the rear of the vehicle to the front. The sun light glistened off the chrome metal of the car causing Ziva to lift her hand up to shield her eyes from the glare. Suddenly the hair on the back of her neck stood straight up and the world around her went in slow motion. From behind, she heard a yell from the driver of the van as an unknown assailant manhandled from the driver's seat. Popping up like a whack a mole from the opposite side of the car another assailant opened fire on Ziva. Her heart leaped into her throat as she rolled on her side pulling her weapon and targeting her attacker. Squeezing off a few rounds she shattered the windshield and popped the tire of the car as she missed her goal. The smell of rubber burning brought her attention to the assailant in the van. She jumped from her position and ran like a hunch back trying to stay low yet find cover as quickly as possible. Her attacker from the car was a blur as he made his way to the van firing randomly in Ziva's direction. One in the van, the attackers left the scene speeding away in a cloud of dust and smoke.

"Well, that's interesting Probie" Tony said shaking his head back and forth like a bobble-head. McGee rolled his eyes and stated "This is a hardwire port for a T1 connection, but the house already has a wireless router hooked into a cable modem. There's no point to have this in a bedroom closet."

"Ok McGeek, what's a reason why a person would have one of these in a closet. Afraid somebody would find his porn?" Tony scoffed back at him. McGee looked up at Tony from his hands and knees and answered. "Well, you might have a point. It's for something that he was trying to hide that's for sure. Help me pry up this carpet." Tony dropped to his knees as he pulled out his knife. Swiftly he jabbed the blade into the corner of the closet and bent the carpe backwards. McGee helped yank the carpet back from the entire closet to reveal a flat panel wire leading to a square latch in the floor. Tony rose to his feet and pulled his weapon. "Careful McGee, look for wires and booby traps. I have you covered." McGee ran his finger over the crack around the square trying to feel for any kind of wire or detonation device. Feeling nothing he grunted slightly as the carpet glue gave way and the wooden piece of flooring came apart. Peering all McGee could say was "Oh Boy."

Gibbs made a brisk walk to the M.P. office. A different Petty Officer was sitting behind the desk since his last visit. "May I help you Sir?" she inquired sweetly. Gibbs halted his pace to look the person right in the eye. "Agent Gibbs to see the head of base security again." The petty officer's look of confusion made Gibbs take a step back. "I'm sorry Sir but He's in an important meeting right now. I can have her see you in an hour, if that's ok with your schedule." Gibbs shook his head and plowed right in to the next room, stopping abruptly as soon as he entered. The office had no less than a dozen agents and officers crowded together. "Where's the officer I spoke to earlier?" Gibbs said. A blonde officer looked at him and said "I'm Commander Meg Austin, and this happens to be my office. Who are you?"

"You're not the person I spoke with earlier. What's going on here?" Gibbs answered back. Commander Austin came forward parting the people in the room as though she was Moses parting the Red sea. "You haven't answered my question."

"Agent Gibbs NCIS. Now where is the officer I spoke with earlier?" Gibbs shifted his weight back and forth. "I am conducting a JAG-man investigation in to the disappearance of seven crates of personal side-arms. The former occupant of this office is the chief suspect in my case. Have you any ideas where this officer is?" Meg said handing Gibbs a photo. Gibbs looked at the photo and recognized the profile of Officer Higgins starring back at him.

(Gibbs with a grimace of a smile, looking at an eight by ten photo.)


	4. Chapter 4

( McGee, Tony and Ziva wiping themselves off with smoke all around.)

"Ahh… Tony you're gonna want to take a look at this." McGee said as he back away carefully. Tony peered over McGee's shoulder to see a laptop and a package of C4 with wires running back to it. "OK everybody. I want every one to slowly retreat from the house and we're going to call the bomb squad" Tony spoke calmly. Exiting out of the room as though he was walking on eggshells.

Ziva charged from her hide place when the van squealed away. The driver had gotten up off the ground where his assailant had thrown him. Patting his jumpsuit causing a plumb of dust to rise in the air. Ziva coughed as she ran through the cloud loosing sight of the van. "You Donkey's butt! Couldn't you have waited to throw sand in my eye!" Ziva stomped back towards the driver.

Gibbs handed the photo back to the Commander saying "He's on his way back to you now as we speak." Meg blinked "What do you mean you have in your custody?" Gibbs answered back "In a manner of speaking. What do you know of a middle aged MP and a young ensign being here yesterday?"

Meg Austin walked back around her desk nodding to the other in the room to leave her alone with Agent Gibbs. She sat down while the room cleared, then answered "I myself was just assigned to this office today. However, I noticed a half used cigar on the window sill." She opened a drawer in her desk pulling out the cigar in a plastic baggy. As Gibbs walked forward to get it she pulled it from his reach "What about my officer I'm looking for?" she said with a grin. Gibbs smiled back grabbing the bag before answering. "The D.B. is on it's way to the examiner's table as we speak you can see him there."

Ziva called McGee's cell not wanting to face the wrath of Gibbs yet for loosing the body. "Hello" yelled the friendly voice over sirens in the background. "Timothy, this is Ziva I had a slight issue with the body."

"What? I can barely hear you, what did you say about your body?" McGee asked trying to get away from all the flashing lights and sounds. "Not my body, the body. It was hijacked. I need you to come pick me up at Wannatiti Road" she said in a raised voice.

"Tony doesn't want me to leave the bomb scene, I'll have one of the medical personal drive out there and pick you up. I gotta go!" McGee said and hung up.

"Fine, I'll just be here whittling my thumbs. Wait did you say bomb? McGee. Hello Argh!" Ziva slapped the phone shut and went to the side of the road to wait with her escort.

"Ok so I got your fed-ex surprise here Gibbs and let's just say I'd prefer a caf-pow instead. However I managed to get a crispy bone marrow sample to test." Abby said over the video conference with Gibbs.

"So? We already are aware that those are the remains of Admiral Prince. How are they going to help me with the gun shipment?" Meg asked peering over Gibbs shoulder looking at the small laptop screen on her desk.

"That's what we're wondering kind lady. We don't believe that this are the remain of the Admiral." Ducky answered as he walked into frame of the camera.

"That's what I was saying before Blondie interrupted me. Unless Admiral Prince was a short Japanese man these remains aren't his" Abby said.

"Whose are they Abbs?" Gibbs asked. "Well as far as I can tell Jethro, we did not receive all the remains. Which isn't that uncommon in fact most cremations added cigar ash to give the proper amount of ash one expects from a burnt body. Why I believe the ancient Mayans custom was to wrap the decease's body in leafs almost like a cigar." Dr Mallard said.

"Ducky! How much is missing?" Gibbs replied trying to get Dr Mallard back on track. "I can answer that Gibbs. From what I anayalized, I'd say around 25 of this ash is from a body. The rest is tobacco, tea leafs and some kind of root that's in a lot of Japanese dishes" Abby stated.

"But the M.P. officer a Mr. Rick Wright filled out the paper work identifying the body on the beach as Admiral Prince. The Ensign Robin Masters, who released the body to the crematorium, confirmed it." Meg Austin said from the paperwork in her hand.

"I can't tell you what I don't know but what I do know is that these remains aren't a white Dutch man, which Admiral Prince happens to be." Abby fired back.

"Thank you Abbs. Ducky you'll be getting back a body of an officer Higgins. I need a quick turn around on it." Gibbs said as he reached to terminate the connection. "Well there you Commander Austin, your gun smuggling bad guy might turn out to be Admiral Prince."

Ziva shifted in her seat unsure of which situation was worse. Telling Gibbs of the attack or having Tony rub her nose in the fact that she protect a stiff from walking away. The van pulled up to a roadblock a block away from the Higgins house. Slamming the door shut she made her way back to the scene brushing her hair out of the way as it bounced to and fro. "Where's the squad I ask for?" she heard Tony's voice break out over the crowd of officers on the scene. Spotted McGee and made her way over to him. "Tell me what's going on?" Ziva asked as McGee looked at her approach.

"We found a bomb under the floor of the closet. We're in a holding mode right now till the bomb squad gets here. What happened to you?" McGee said. Ziva rolled her eyes and answered, "Somebody really didn't want us to have a chance to examine the body closely. I think he had something on or in him that we missed."

Tony came up to the two of them saying "Probie! The bomb squad is finally here I need you to brief them on the wiring of the explosive." As McGee left to comply Tony turned to Ziva looking in her eyes "You ok? Are you hurt anywhere?" Ziva rolled her eyes "Thanks Tony, I'm fine. But I think we are missing something here. I mean what would anyone have a bomb in his closet? Yet have his dead body stolen causing more attention to the situation."

Tony smiled "Well if a certain agent could have held on to the body, I'm sure Ducky and Abby would be able to tell us." Ziva smacked Tony hard in his arm. Just then McGee came running towards them with his hands waving in panic. Tony's eyes went big and grabbed Ziva throwing them both to the ground and the house exploded in a huge fireball sending pieces of debris all around them.

( McGee, Tony and Ziva wiping themselves off with smoke all around.)


	5. Chapter 5

(The dead body of Higgins lay off to the side and multiple young Asian girl tied up together.)

The group discussion hung in an eerie silence over the table. "This is what we know. The ash claiming to be the Admiral's is not his. Somebody is smuggling guns off this base. Finally this Higgins character ties into it." Gibbs began.

"Now, for what we don't know. Is the Admiral alive or dead? How Higgins ties into this. And if the gun smuggling has anything to do with the Admiral missing." Gibbs stated to everyone at the table.

Meg Austin leaned forward. "The Admiral called JAG to have us look into Higgins. The Admiral thought Higgins was up to something, though he said he could not prove it. Our investigation uncovered the missing guns, so it is our belief that the Admiral was kidnapped or killed because of these facts."

McGee piped in "We haven't gotten much from the wreckage of the house yet. However, there were six weapons recovered. We are currently working to identify if these are part of the missing weapons."

Ziva slide the drawings she made from her attackers of the body heist. "These are the people that stole the body. We found the van abandon five miles away from the house. The body was gone also."

Gibbs picked up the sketches and squinted slightly. "Ok these look like the M.P. officer and ensign I talk with earlier. Somehow these two are attached to Officer Higgins, find out how." Gibbs tossed the papers back down.

Ziva looked around the table. McGee had his blackberry out typing away in it as though his life depended on it. Commander Austin looked in shock at the clipped way Gibbs spoke to everybody there. Tony, _what was Tony doing?_ He sat there with a big grin on his face. She was about to ask him when Gibbs voice broke through again. "DiNozzo anything on the Admiral's old boat?"

"No, boss I haven't heard a peep from the new owner yet. I have his address, I thought Ziva could go have a chat with him. While I help locate the Admiral" Tony answered.

"DiNozzo do I have to smack you on the back of the head? You go and talk with him Ziva is going to check out the abandon van and see if she can't locate the body she misplaced" Gibs retorted back.

"Got it Boss. But I have a theory before I go. Somebody found a D.B. on the beach. The M.P. officer identified it as the Admiral's, but we know that both the ensign and the M.P. are false. I looked into the base logs for when the body was brought on base and a Rick Wright and Robin Masters signed in the body." Tony waited for somebody to catch on. Yet all he got were blank stares looking back at him, with Gibbs stare getting a little heated.

"Higgins, Wright and Masters are all characters from Magnum P.I. So I did a little checking and a T.C. incorporate rented out a few storage spaces downtown just this past week. T.C. is another character from Mag Pi I think it's worth a look." Tony finished Tony turned his gaze towards Gibbs "Boss, I now it's a stretch but it's just a little wonky to me to have all those names pop up."

"McGee, check out the van. Ziva get the address from Tony, you'll be talking with the owner of the Admiral's boat. Tony, you can check out the storage facility, be careful you know I don't believe in coincidences. Commander Austin, can a body be cremated without the M.E. confirming the identity himself?" Gibbs asked.

"No, the M.E. would have to know that the body cremated wouldn't have been the Admiral's from the dental records or DNA." Commander Austin answered.

"I thought so, would you care to join me as I asked the kind Doctor where the Admiral really is and exactly who he did burn to a crisp." Gibbs said with a smirk. Commander Austin smiled and nodded her head.

"Ok people you have your assignments get going" Gibbs barked out as he pulled Meg's chair out and gave his hand to help her up.

McGee cautiously looked over the van tweezing fibers and marking the evidence bags as he went. Getting on his back he slide on the gravel to get under the back of the van. Peering around with his pen light he spotted some wires going into the center of the spare tire. Pushing himself further under the van to get a better view he saw another package of C-4 with what looked like a mercury switch so when the van was lift for a tow it would explode.

"Whatever you do, do not tow this vehicle." McGee yelled from his spot under the van to the other agent that accompanied him. He made his way slowly backing out sweat dripping off his forehead. _He did not need another bomb going off today_ he thought. As he was about out from under the van he noticed a carbon copy paper stuck in the interior of the bumper. It must have fallen out when the back door was opened. He gingerly grabbed the paper and slide it out from it's hiding spot.

Dusting himself off he opened the crinkled piece of paper. It was a receipt from Uncle Bob's storage for a prepayment of a month on three units. His eyes went large when he remembered that Tony was on his was to that storage facility. "Stay here and call the bomb squad. Remember don't let anybody move the van the bomb is under the spare tire." McGee said quickly as he hopping in the car and sped away.

Tony put his arm out to back the employee out of the way as he drew his gun and crept upon the three storage units. He fumbled a little with the lock dropping the huge key ring that the employee had to open all the units. Picking up the massive amount of keys he felt like a high school janitor as he looked for the correct key to open that certain unit. He smiled as he found it again when his cell phone rang a made him drop the ring again. "Tony, here." He answered as he bent down and quickly swiping up the keys.

"Tony the van was rigged with another set of C-4 and I found a receipt from the storage units you're at. The guys who rigged the house and stole the body rented those units" McGee said.

_Crap!_ thought Tony. Suddenly a shot bounced off the wall right next to where he was standing. Dropping the phone Tony whipped around and rolled trying to find where the shots were coming from. Another near miss made a spark behind him. This time he was able to see a muzzle flash at the side of the unit. Tony fired a few shots toward the corner as he got up and ran to find some cover. A few more gun shots erupted and Tony jumped behind some 55 gallon drums.

McGee floored the car smashing trough the gate at the storage facility heading toward the sounds of a fire fight. He slide the car to a screeching halt in front of the middle unit with Tony on one side a the gunmen on the other.

Tony heard a car race by him blocking the gun man from him. Tony raced up to the front tire of the vehicle. When the gun man tried to make a run for it, Tony shot him in the leg causing the suspect to flop to the ground like a bird hitting a window.

McGee jumped out of the driver seat and was on the suspect in no time flat. He gripped the suspect hands tightly as he cuffed the perp and dragged him back to the car. "So which one are you? Rick Wright or Robin Masters?" Tony asked as he went back to pick up his discarded cell phone.

"I'm not saying nothing. I need a doctor and my lawyer." The man said through gritted teeth. Tony slapped him on the back of the head. "Listen you dummy, I happen to be a fan of Magnum P.I. so you using those names was a big mistake. No body making fun of my TV show and gets away with it. So sing like the yellow belly you are."

While Tony was interrogating the suspect McGee unlocked the three units sliding the door up revealing the contents inside. "Hey Tony, I wouldn't worry about convicting this guy. It'll be a cake walk."

Tony shoved the man in the back of the car and walked up behind McGee.

(The dead body of Higgins lay off to the side and multiple young Asian girl tied up together.)


End file.
